Workplace safety standards are a common topic in the post-lockdown landscape. The COVID-19 pandemic led to a shift away from offices and stores, and towards e-commerce and virtual experiences. The tech industry — already heavily invested in digital — was able to shift fairly seamlessly to remote working.
Restaurants tackled the crisis with several new measures, such as:
Introducing or scaling up delivery services
Implementing face shields
Using disposable menus
Now, as non-essential staff begin to return to the office, improving workplace safety standards is of utmost importance.
But how can business leaders best provide their workforces with the tools and strategies needed to make the workplace safer? And how can they assure their employees that their wellbeing is paramount?
In this blog we’ll look at how developing a training strategy can help improve workplace safety standards. We’ll also go over different training tools that businesses can adopt.
Preparing to safely reopen workplaces after COVID-19
Before drawing up an effective training strategy, businesses need to make sure that their workplace is in good order. Here are some of the ways that businesses can prepare for safely reopening the workplace after COVID-19:
Check EU regulations
To formulate a successful training strategy, businesses will need to know the safety regulations and recommendations of their specific country. They will then have to lay out their space in a way that can accommodate those requirements. For instance, the UK recommends that businesses keep their customers 2 meters apart and requires that masks are worn in all shops.
Have a PPE plan in place
The health and safety of employees is crucial. So companies will need to ensure that they have a suitable supply of personal protective equipment (PPE) on hand. Sourcing PPE can be a challenge at times. Demand often outpaces supply. So Salesforce created a trailmix on the Trailhead learning platform.
Just click through the self-learning journey to discover some best practices for sourcing PPE.
Make use of the tools on Work.com
Workforces must adopt to entirely new ways of working due to:
Social distancing measures
New workplace safety standards
Increase in contactless engagement
Empowering them with the right setup, communications, tools, processes, and safety measures is essential.
Work.com offers businesses the tools and information they need to improve workplace safety standards. With Work.com, business leaders can find contact-tracing tools that put privacy first.
They can also use a Command Centre to manage employee wellness data and shift-scheduling tools. This is great for avoiding congestion in high-traffic areas. There’s also a wealth of resources and insights from business leaders around the globe.
Consider upskilling employees
Depending on the required changes, employees may undergo upskilling training to handle new or expanded roles.
For instance, customer service agents accustomed to helping in-store shoppers must now engage with customers online. There may be channels that they’re not accustomed to using, like social media.
Some luxury retailers have even turned their sales agents into personal, online stylists and virtual concierges. These are great ways to optimise the safety of the customers and employees. However, it may require asking the employees involved to learn a different skill set.
Creating a training strategy for the new workplace safety standards
First, leaders must know the right guidelines, have their space property laid out, and have their equipment and tools in place. Then, they can begin to train their employees on how to navigate the new workplace safety standards.
Here are some ways that businesses can establish an effective training programme:
Provide clarity about the latest rules and regulations
Carefully go over any changes to procedures, such as new cleaning standards and new ways of monitoring employee health
Make the training relevant to their roles so that every employee understands new workplace expectations
Highlight the importance of empathetic communication during this time
Cover changes to workplace layout and how those changes will affect general procedures
Leave time to tackle employee wellbeing; mental health is also an important consideration.
Address any concerns. Being an advocate is important in times of uncertainty
Build the team up
Building a cohesive team (that’s all on the same page) is important when developing an effective training strategy for store safety. We’re all in this together, so it’s time to lead with empathy, build resilience, and let your team know that their wellness comes first as a top priority.
To find out more about building resiliency and leading through the New Normal and beyond, check out the Service Leader’s Guide to Resiliency.
